ASEAN Affirms Commitment to Implement OSH to Protect Workers

JAKARTADAILY.ID – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN positively welcomes Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as a fundamental principle and right in the ILO's Framework of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The Director-General of Labor Inspection and Occupational Safety and Health Guidance (Binwasnaker) & K3 of the Ministry of Manpower Haiyani Rumondang said ASEAN's commitment to the implementation of OSH during the COVID-19 pandemic was reflected in the issuance of the Joint Statement of ASEAN Labor Ministers on Response to the Impact of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Labor and Employment in 2021.

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"This statement is a form of commitment with the ASEAN Ministers of Manpower to improve OSH aspects in the region, including in difficult situations such as during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Haiyani Rumondang representing the Government of Indonesia at the International Labor Organization Governing Body session. 344, on Thursday, March 13.

Haiyani Rumondang added that in this 344th ILO GB session, ASEAN is of the view that the terminology currently in the various ILO International Labor Standards on OSH, namely safety and health and the working environment is still very relevant to be used today.

In the context of OSH, the term “working environment” represents all aspects of the environment that can be a risk factor for work accidents, occupational diseases, and other health problems for workers.

"On the other hand, the level of application of OHS in the workplace also affects the quality or level of environmental damage in general," she said.

According to Haiyani, the issue of OHS has long historical roots in the ASEAN region. Namely, in 2000 ASEAN agreed to establish ASEAN OSHNET which became the ASEAN platform to discuss cooperation in improving OSH in the Southeast Asian Region.

"For ASEAN, the implementation of the OHS aspect is the embodiment of the ASCC Blue Print 2025, which is the mark of ASEAN cooperation on the Socio-Cultural Pillar, namely "ASEAN Communities that involve and provide benefits to the community and communities that are inclusive, sustainable, resilient and dynamic," said Haiyani.

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ASEAN believes that the International Labor Standards related to OSH which are included in the background documents can represent OSH instruments that can be considered in future discussions at the International Labor Conference to be part of the fundamental principles and rights in the ILO's Framework of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (Issues of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work). related to the inclusion of safe and healthy working conditions within the framework of the ILO's fundamental principles and rights at work).

Haiyani Rumondang emphasized that ASEAN hopes that with the inclusion of OSH as a fundamental principle and right in the ILO's Framework of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, labor protection will be more inclusive for all workers in every sector/business activity and provide certainty of OSH protection in the face of future work.

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